Nothing will get a driver's heart hammering more than the sudden noise and jolt of having a tire blowout while travelling at speed. It is an experience that most folks will never forget, if it happens to them. However, following the steps outlined in this article will help you drive safely through a blowout and keep all occupants of the car safe and calm, despite the loud noise and sudden shimmying of the car.

First off, with as little panicking as possible, keep both hands firmly on the wheel and maintain your speed. Do NOT slam on the brakes. Take a breath to allow your heart to go back to normal. Then, holding the wheel firmly to keep the vehicle under control, check your mirrors and your blind spots to make sure there are no cars around. If passengers are wondering what happened, be sure to calmly assure them that all is well and that a tire has just popped. Tell them you are going to pull over and be sure everyone is wearing a seatbelt.

Now, even though you should not slam on the brakes, you can definitely ease up on the accelerator immediately. Make sure that as you dip below a reasonable driving speed for the road you are on, you engage the hazard lights. Carefully make your way to the right hand lane, being sure not to slam on the brakes. Take care to keep your hands firmly on the wheel, despite the jitters and shudders.

You want to try to pull over without too much delay, as you don't want to damage the rim of the tire that has blown out. So keep that in mind. Now, when you are down to about 30-20 mph, go ahead and pull to the shoulder of the road. At this point you can come to a complete stop. When you are stopped, deploy some flares or cones and get that tire changed so you can continue on your journey.

And remember the seatbelts and the no panicking!

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